R.I. Officials Report Possible SARS Case

Published 7:00 pm, Thursday, March 20, 2003

A Rhode Island resident came down with what officials suspect was severe acute respiratory syndrome after a trip to Asia.

State department of health officials say the man developed a mild cough and fever after traveling to one of the countries where the previously unknown illness has been reported.

"We consider this a suspect case because this individual had 'flu-like' symptoms, a fever, and recently traveled to one of the affected Southeast Asian countries," Patricia Nolan, health department director, said in a statement.

Officials said the man received medical attention earlier this month and has made a near complete recovery without hospitalization.

Identifying information about the man was not released due to patient confidentiality rules.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, has made 264 people around the world ill, according the World Health Organization. At least 14 have died.

On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control said health officials were investigating 13 suspected cases of the illness in the United States. That total did not appear to include the Rhode Island case. A state health department official said Rhode Island has reported the case to the CDC.

Most of the cases worldwide have been in Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore, mainly infecting health care workers or family members of patients.

Health investigators believe the mystery illness may be related to a family of viruses called paramyxovirus.

Clinical specimens from the Rhode Island patient are being held for analysis by the National Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Nolan said.

The state health department has also sent an advisory to health care providers requesting immediate reporting of suspected cases.